MODULE #4:
NATIONAL PURSUITS OF HAPPINESS
What Should Governments Focus On to Help Citizens Pursue Well-Being and
Happiness?
SCENARIO
You are a famous journalist who writes for the New York Times about political and social issues,
and you have a reputation for calling out world leaders on policy decisions that do not meet the
needs of the people they should be representing.
Democratic governments should do everything they can to figure out what people want; then
they should try to make it happen. However, it gets tricky with the pursuit of happiness. Sure,
we agree that happiness is something we want, but how does a government help its people
attain it? How does a government know what is most important? Such as what should its goals
be? The environment? The economy? Culture? Neighborhoods? Inexpensive energy and low
food prices?
TASK
Your editors want you to write a piece titled, “Well Being, and What Our Governments Should
Do about It.” Your goal is to share with the world what you think the magic formula to
happiness should be.
They demand a few conditions, though. They want you to:
1. Research the question and study various measures of well-being,
2. Interview a variety of people and ask them questions related to two larger questions:
What contributes most to your well-being?
What do you think their governments should do about it?
3. Analyze and synthesize the findings from your research and conclude your piece by clearly
stating what you think the magic formula is for governments who want to help their
citizens attain well-being and happiness.
HOW TO GET STARTED
Step 1: Get a Basic Understanding of Module Content
You did it! Just by listening and taking notes to this presentation today, you have already begun
the research needed to understand how to approach this module. The PowerPoint’s contents
will give you a good start to understanding the pursuit of happiness.
Step 2: Fieldwork
When the discussion of fieldwork comes up with your editor, you mention that when you were
in school you participated in a simulation called the Civic Mirror. Fascinated, he says, “Listen, I
want you to conduct two surveys, asking the same questions. In the first, survey roughly 5 of
your old Civic Mirror classmates (which, of course, you will do now). In the second, survey at
least 5 people from at least 5 demographic groups. For each survey, make sure you do not
interview more than 20 people. Got it?”
He outlines the demographic groups as follows:
-
At least one person is under 18 years of age
At least 3 people are between 19 to 65 years of age
At least one person is over 65+ years of age
Please ensure that your respondents are not from the same household
Please ensure that all of your respondents have different occupations.
You can choose to collect this data on a survey program (for example, Google forms or http://
www.surveymonkey.com), or collect data in paper format. Finally, and to keep things
consistent, you are to use a series of questions already prepared for you below.
Step 3: Analyze and Report Your Conclusions
Analysis: Please gather information from your interviewees and analyze their responses as to
what contributes to their well-being. Do you see any trends develop (for example do a lot of
people believe the same things are important in the pursuit of happiness)? Are there any
consistencies that can help you draw some conclusions? Please refer to the rubric.
Reporting Your Conclusions: Once you gather all the data from your interviewees and analyze
the information by grouping the responses to each question, you will probably notice some
trends. Use what you learn in this module and the trends you discover in your surveys to write a
magic formula for national pursuits of well-being. Include in your magic formula everything that
is needed to create well-being for the citizens of your country. Highlight specifically the most
important factors that contribute to well-being.
FORMAT
Your finished product can be done in the following ways:
1. Report format ~ typed and printed, Microsoft Word, Google Docs, and similar.
2. Slide-show presentation ~ Prezi, iMovie, PowerPoint, and similar.
3. Video format ~ YouTube, Vimeo, and similar.
Regardless of format, remember you will be evaluated on your ability to meet all the
expectations in the evaluation.
EVALUATION
Your presentation needs to show that you:
1. Conducted the required fieldwork using Appendix A – do not create your own
questions!
2. Analyzed the responses and found (or attempted to find) trends in the survey
responses,
3. Arrived at a conclusion about what “magic formula” governments should use to help
their citizens best pursue happiness and well-being, ensuring that your conclusion is
based on the content in this learning and the findings from your survey, and
4. Synthesized everything above and put it into a good presentation using one of the
formats listed above. Be sure to select the presentation format that best fits your style,
and make sure your presentation format does not make it difficult to communicate
what you want to communicate.
Before you get started, you should look at the evaluation rubric below to review what is
expected of you on this project. The silliest thing you could do would be to work hard on the
wrong stuff. No one in the real world is promoted that way!
Appendix A - Interview Questions
Interviewee: ________________________ Age: _____ Occupation:______________
Interview Part One:
Question
Overall, the economy is the most
important thing in for a country’s wellbeing.
Thriving businesses are the most
important factor to a nation’s well- being.
Having a nice home is a key ingredient to
a person’s well-being and happiness.
Having lots of money is the most
important thing for an individual’s wellbeing.
Problems occur when some people are
dramatically richer than others.
Energy should be a priority for a
government because it spurs development
of all kinds.
There is an economic cost to resource
depletion.
Overall, the environment is the most
important thing in for a country’s wellbeing.
Clean air and atmosphere are important
factors that are necessary for a country’s
well-being.
Clean water and arable land are
important factors that are necessary for a
country’s well-being.
Strongly
Agree
Somewhat
Agree
Somewhat
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Do Not
Know
Question
Sustainable development and
renewable energy are important factors
that are necessary for a country’s wellbeing.
Rights and Freedoms (such as mobility,
speech, and religion) are the most
important factor to an individual’s wellbeing.
Safety and Security are important for
human beings to achieve well- being and
happiness.
Health is the most important factor to an
individual’s well-being.
Education is the most important factor to
an individual’s well-being.
There are economic and social costs of
decreased levels of education.
Life Balance is important for human
beings to achieve well-being and
happiness.
Community and Culture are important
for human beings to achieve well-being
and happiness.
Strongly
Agree
Somewhat
Agree
Somewhat
Disagree
Strongly
Disagree
Do Not
Know
Interviewees:
From Civic Mirror Nation
Name
/Pseudonym
Name
/Pseudonym
1.
6.
2.
7.
3.
8.
4.
9.
5.
10.
From My Real World Community
Name
/Pseudonym
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Age
Occupation
household
Module #3 - National Pursuit of Well-Being Rubric
Criteria
3
Field Work
* Asked prepared
questions to at least 5
participants from
different demographic
groups for Step #1.
* Asked prepared
questions to 5 game
participants after 2
simulated years (Step
#2).
* A strong analysis is
developed.
* Graphical data is
synthesized and
displayed in clear
visual/pictorial format
Analysis
* Summarizes and shows
insightful synthesis of the
responses.
* Analysis includes
responses of well-being
from all interviewees
2
* Poses prepared
questions to at least 4
participants from
different demographic
groups for Step #1
* Poses prepared
questions to Civic Mirror
participants (ideally after
2 simulated years).
* Analysis is reasonably
well developed.
1
* Poses prepared
questions to less than 4
participants: there was
overlap of demographic
groups.
* Poses prepared
questions to game
participants (Step #2).
* Analysis is not well
developed.
* Attempts made to
synthesize graphical data.
* No visuals of graphic
Visual format may be
data.
lacking or confusing
* Summarizes the overall
information obtained by
interviewees.
* Analysis includes
responses of well-being
from most (10+)
interviewees
* Summary lacks
synthesis of the
responses.
* Analysis includes
responses from 3 or
fewer interviewees
* Analysis drives the
conclusion.
* Conclusion is
consistent, thorough and
answers question
Conclusion
* A magic formula for
happiness and well-being
is suggested.
* Most important factors
that contribute to wellbeing are clearly
emphasized in the magic
formula.
* Conclusion answers the
research questions.
Presentation
* Sentence structure is
consistently clear and
lucid with virtually no
spelling or grammatical
errors.
* Format of presentation
selected (report,
slideshow, video, etc.)
enhances the audience’s
understanding of the
magic formula; selected
format is unique and
engages the audience.
Teacher Comments:
* Analysis does drive the
conclusion to some
extent.
* There are some
connections between
conclusions reached and
research questions asked.
* Analysis does not drive
the conclusion.
* Poor connection
between conclusions
reached and research
questions asked.
* A magic formula for
happiness and well-being
is suggested.
* Unable to suggest a
magic formula for
happiness and wellbeing.
* Attempts to emphasize
important factors, but
may stray from topic.
* Does not include or
emphasize important
factors
* Presentation is for the
most part clearly worded
and unambiguous.
* Sentence structure is
mostly clear with minor
spelling or grammatical
errors.
* Format of the
presentation selected is
relevant to the
information provided;
selected format informs
the audience.
* Throughout the
presentation, wording is
imprecise or ambiguous.
* Sentence structure is
consistently weak.
* Format of presentation
selected is not a good fit,
or is not well executed;
format does not engage
nor inform audience.